Music Librarian’s Legacy Inspires Shipment of Books to Kenya

Former Duke University Librarian and Carillonneur Emeritus Sam Hammond seems to have left a positive impression everywhere he went!

When Sam passed in 2021, there was an outpouring of grief and fond memories among the Duke community. Besides using his pianist training to serve as a volunteer accompanist and encouraging young people to develop their musical talents, the beloved late librarian also inspired generations of college students for 53 years with his daily carillon recitals from the tower of Duke Chapel.

For his “day job,” as he called it, Sam started out as music librarian at Duke University Libraries, later moving to the department of Rare Books and Manuscripts. One of the roles he gladly accepted was host to school classes of all ages, showing students historical treasures of the library as well as bibliographic curiosities, and teaching them how books have been made through the centuries.

With his twin vocations of caring for books and educating young people, Sam inspired his widow, Marie Hammond, to launch a project that will bring a library to the Lirhanda Friends Secondary School in Kenya.

Lirhanda School is located in the hill country of western Kenya, about 2 km from the nearest market town and 8 km from the city of Kakamega. Its students walk to school, some an hour each way, on unpaved, muddy or dusty roads. Many live with single parents or grandparents who struggle to pay school fees and to buy uniforms and required school supplies. Owning books is an unattainable luxury for these families.

Marie worked to fundraise in her community for this shipment, which will benefit not just the Lirhanda School’s 300 students and 10 teachers, but also the adjoining primary/junior secondary school and the broader community. Books For Africa was quickly flooded with gifts in Sam’s memory. Alongside a match from sponsor BetterWorld Trust, the shipment has now been funded and is expected to ship very early in 2026.

It is an honor to ship these books as part of Sam Hammond’s legacy, and to contribute to building a reading culture in the Lirhanda School community, improving the quality of life for students and residents of the village.